The Tabulator targets Woody Stephens Stakes

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. – The Tabulator took his West Coast tour last fall. Now, he is ready to check out New York.

The Tabulator aced his 3-year-old debut, winning the $50,000 Golden Circle Stakes on May 3 at Prairie Meadows by more than six lengths, and he will be given a sterner test June 9 at Belmont Park in the Woody Stephens Stakes on the Belmont Stakes card.

“The Woody Stephens seems like a good spot,” said Larry Rivelli, who trains The Tabulator for Carolyn Wilson. “Hopefully, that race, then the Indiana Derby.”

The Tabulator got an 86 Beyer Speed Figure for his Golden Circle romp under Jose Valdivia Jr., but was never asked for run after opening a huge lead under his own courage. The Tabulator won a maiden race at Arlington last summer, the Prairie Gold Juvenile over Mr. Jagermeister, the Grade 3 Iroquois at Churchill Downs, then faded to fifth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Del Mar in November. He worked an easy half-mile Sunday at Arlington in his first drill since his 2018 unveiling.

“Valdivia said he was on cruise control the whole time in his race,” Rivelli said. “He said he’s better this year – not as cranked up.”

The Woody Stephens will be a big step up for The Tabulator. Rivelli said he’d ship him to New York a few days before the race and give him perhaps one day of training on the Belmont surface.

Rivelli has become the perennial leading trainer at Arlington, but by his standards has gotten off to a relatively modest start at the meet, and last Friday and Saturday sent out eight straight losing favorites. On Saturday, he was forced to scratch morning-line favorite Wellabled from the Grade 3 Hanshin Cup.

“He got sick the day before, but he’s just about over it now,” Rivelli said Wednesday.